Japan, Australia to enhance security cooperation

Tokyo, Oct 16 (IANS) Japan and Australia agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation in security so as to better maintain regional peace and stability.

During a meeting Tuesday with visiting Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida said Japan hopes cooperation with Australia in all areas to cope with increasingly severe regional environment, reported Xinhua.

Bishop said her country welcomes Japan's new defence posture featuring attempts to exercise collective self-defence rights, and it will help Japan take a constructive part in regional and global security.

The two ministers also agreed to accelerate negotiations for the US-led Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade talks.

They added that the two countries should also conclude bilateral free trade talks soon.

The visit was Bishop's first to Japan as Australian foreign minister and she is scheduled to conclude the three-day visit to Japan Wednesday.